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The Flame
"The Flame" is the fourth single by Arcadia, released from the album So Red the Rose by Capitol-Parlophone in 1986. This was the group's third UK single. About the song The song was written and performed by Arcadia, a pop group formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, during a break in that band's schedule. The song features a theatrical arrangement and catchy, hook-filled chorus. This is probably the Arcadia song that comes closest to sounding like Duran Duran. The track features James Bond A View to a Kill actress Grace Jones contributing vocals. Music video The campy, slapstick video was made in the retro style of an Edwardian-era drawing room murder mystery à la Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock. The storyline revolved around a series of comic disasters that befall an awkward, nerdish character (played by Simon Le Bon) and his girlfriend while visiting a haunted house. Nick Rhodes plays the debonair host of the dinner party at the house, and he frequently uses Simon as his comic stooge for a number of macabre and mildly sadistic sight gags throughout the video. Various unsavory bits of business ensue with revolving walls, trapdoors and mysterious assassins hidden behind paintings and within exotic taxidermied animals. The slapstick comic interplay between Nick and Simon is faintly reminiscent of Abbott and Costello. At one point, John Taylor leans out of a closet with a contract for the band to sign. The video's treatment is said to have been written by Nick and the various near-fatal pratfalls that occur to Simon's character was intended as punishment for his decision to enter the Fastnet boat race that almost cost him his life. In fact, Simon was in the middle of the South American leg of another race (the Whitbread Round the World Race) when he had to fly to Spain in April to shoot the video. He then flew straight back to join his team in Uruguay. The video was directed by long time Duran Duran collaborator Russell Mulcahy. B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes All officially released remixes of "The Flame" - the 'Single Remix,' 'Extended Remix' and the 'Yo Homeboy Mix' - were done by Nile Rodgers. Track listing 7": Parlophone / NSR 3 (UK) #"The Flame" (Remix) - 4:06 #"Flame Game" (Yo Homeboy Mix) - 2:49 12": Parlophone / 12 NSR 3 (UK) #"The Flame" (Extended Remix) - 7:12 #"Flame Game" (Yo Homeboy Mix) - 2:49 #"Election Day" (Early Rough Mix) - 8:58 Other appearances Albums: *''So Red the Rose'' (1985) *''So Red the Rose (2 CD set and DVD)'' (2010) Videos: *''The Making of Arcadia'' (1987) Personnel Arcadia are: *Simon Le Bon - vocals *Nick Rhodes - keyboards *Roger Taylor - drums With: *Grace Jones - backing vocals Also credited: *Alex Sadkin - producer and engineer Lyrics I could feel the breeze blowing change Blowing through my doorway Warm and restless just as you walked by Inside of smoky halls A circle drawn And voices call To raise some magic wind in my world Strange coincidence each time you look my way This sinking feeling scares me Know my weakness call it dejavu Never puy my trust in fate Suprises do arrive so late Why should I be suprised by you Straight to the heart straight for this precious shining How do you dare Step into my flame One from the heart, one for this precious shining How can you steel my flame Sometimes cards are drawn and the tables turn The waiting game is over Take this dealers hand and steal away the dawn Never give me any chance to wander back from this innocence Don't give me any chances at all Straight to the heart straight for this precious shining How do you dare Step into my flame One from the heart, one for this precious shining How can you steel my flame My flame My flame See also *Discography 4: Arcadia *Duran Duran discography featuring Arcadia References Category:Singles by related bands Category:Arcadia songs